'I'm Not Going To Cram Pills Down My Kid's Throat': Father Defends Giving Marijuana To 5-Year-Old Boy

HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA) – The father of a then 5-year-old boy who was prescribed marijuana cookies by a Hollywood physician to control temper tantrums is defending his decision in an exclusive KCAL9 interview.

"Teacher pretty much gave me the ultimatum: Either put him on medication or he's gonna have to be home schooled,"

Loyd Tucker talks about why he chose to medicate his son with marijuana after he was acting up at school and showing signs of ADHD. Tucker's son – whose identity CBSLA has chosen to withhold – is in foster care. Tucker said he gave his son edible pot – and it worked.

"He was on it for about three weeks. The teacher was like, 'Great, this medication – the doctor actually got it right for once, it's actually working. But it's wearing off at lunch time.' So I went in to the school and handed the principal a marijuana peanut butter sandwich. Here's this note, give it to him at lunch time. That's when all hell broke loose.

The school notified authorities and the boy was originally placed in foster care in 2012. He was returned to the custody of his father but has since been placed back in foster care.

Tucker said he too had ADHD as a child and still suffers from the side effects of the drugs he was prescribed.

"I'm not going to cram pills down my kid's throat," Tucker said.

Tucker was opposed to giving his son conventional pharmaceuticals, so he took his son to Dr. William Eidelman who diagnosed the child with possible ADHD and bipolar disorder.

RELATED: Hollywood Doctor Fights To Keep License After Recommending Marijuana For Child

"You make a diagnosis, you do something and you follow it up and see if things are working OK," Eidelman said.

The doctor is under fire for not properly diagnosing the child, and the California medical board is trying to strip him of his license.

"Everybody knows that psychiatric diagnoses are inexact anyway, and they change all the time.)

Tucker stands by Eidelman and says the pot was making his son better.

"I still stand by the decision, and I'm still paying the price today for it," Tucker said.

A court hearing in the case is set for March 12.